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Sunday, 30 September 2012

I always bring up Lucy Siegle's book To Die For when asked why I only want to shop ethically. To be honest, that book is the sole reason I actually realised that 'ethical' is the way forward. It was a very good 20th birthday present indeed... thankyou, boyfriend! The best thing about Lucy Siegle's book is that she is writing as a fashion lover who previously shared all the same shopping habits as the rest of the western consumer world, so you most certainly don't feel like you're being told off by someone who thinks they are 'holier than thou'. It's also very easy to read. In short... read it! Haha.

Anyway, one year on (for my 21st), I received Overdressed by Elizabeth Cline, which is effectively the American version of To Die For. It has come at just the right time, when I'm in need of an extra boost of motivation for shopping ethically. Also, after reading and talking French all day at my internship, it's great to finally have some English language bedtime reading.

I want to go through it with a highlighter and highlight the most interesting bits, but it's so pristine I just can't face it!

Thursday, 27 September 2012

I've been thinking a lot about my blog lately, and even considered deleting it a few times. It's just not quite 'me' anymore, and I think I'm struggling to balance the idea of having a fashion blog (read: frivolous) and trying to well... not be frivolous. I think that's the right word, anyway.

It came to my attention a few months ago that in fact, clothes don't just appear on rails as if by magic. It sounds silly, but it is so easy to think this when, as a customer, all you see are beautifully dressed mannequins and enticing big red 'Sale' signs. I began to recognise that there is actually a whole supply chain behind them, and the issue is that this supply chain is just completely riddled with environmental/ethical problems (especially for the high street brands that the average joe can 'afford'). Take for example cotton... it has to grow, be picked, be shipped, be bleached, be dyed, be washed, be sewn, be packaged, be flown across the world, and all this uses real resources and real people.

My problem is, I love clothes. This is pretty evident when I'm trying to pack for uni and I fill 2 suitcases with clothes before I've even looked in my actual wardrobe. I also love blogging, I love the blogging community, and as someone who is going to be graduating in a year's time, I also love how many doors it can open for a countryside girl with very little else to rely on.

So I'm going to shake things up a bit, and take my blog in a more ethical direction. This is like opening a giant can of worms, and is frankly, rather daunting. 'Ethical' seems to have an infinite set of definitions, as well as a pretty bad reputation in terms of fashion. I've already written a few posts about items I consider to be ethical, which have occasionally attracted some heated debate. But debate is good! Please feel free to debate as much as you like everyone, I find it really interesting!

Anyway, about this new direction... I don't want to be preachy, and I most certainly won't be perfect. I'm just going to try and make a difference, and I'm glad to have this platform to do it. I've been testing the water since January, to see if I can resist the sales, the peter pan collars, the beautiful 60s inspired collections, and on, and on, and on... but so far it's working! I've also been (painfully) turning down freebies from PR companies that don't fit with my new shopping habits. Anyone who is a blogger will know how hard this is...

Finally, I'm still Sadie, and this is still my blog. Almost exactly the same as before, just a bit more green (literally and metaphorically).

Sunday, 23 September 2012

As I mentioned in my last post, which was, incidentally, AGES AGO (woops), the Parisian way of dressing is gradually creeping into my sub conscious and I'm finding myself suddenly attracted to all things grey, navy and black. This is adding a bit of balance to my wardrobe, which is otherwise bright orange, bright green, bright red, bright yellow and so on...

In keeping with my thrifty spirit (nowadays also for environmental reasons!), I'm only letting myself make wardrobe additions if they are second hand. And as it was my birthday the other day, I got to choose what to do... go thrifting, of course! My flat mate and I took the metro a few stops to the local carboot, which was filled with some of the most expensive carboot things I have ever seen. But also some of the best quality carboot things I have ever seen. I picked up this pure silk top from French label Maje for €12, and it is currently my favourite thing ever. My favourite things always get put on my vintage wooden coat hangers, and that is where this top is currently hanging...

This photo was a complete accident but I love how it came out. It's not even the right way up, but I like it.

I first heard about Maje when my new work colleague took me on a whistle-stop tour of all of the best quintessentially Parisian boutiques. As your stereotypical blogger Alexa Chung fan-girl, my interest was captured even more when I found out she's part of their recent ad campaign. Celebrity endorsement works, guys!

My favourite part of the top is this super-chic translucent mesh insert on the back.

Also, I really really miss spending half an hour messing around with self timer, a tripod, and pretty window light. I wish I could practise with my camera with someone else in front of the lens, but so far no one is willing, waaa! So in the meantime, I'll just have to put up with taking over 30 photos just to get the camera to frame the shot correctly and a further 3000 trying to get the lighting right...